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Chefs' pay is increasing - but it's still sub-par for junior roles

Industry officials say Irish food firms need 5,000 new chefs a year to meet demand.

AT A TIME when restaurants are struggling to fill kitchen vacancies, chefs’ pay is improving – but earnings are still falling short of the average industrial wage for those in junior roles.

A survey by Dublin-based recruitment firm Excel found that many chefs in hotel, restaurant and catering businesses have had to work their way into management positions in order to earn the average industrial wage, which is roughly €36,900 a year.

Excel – which surveyed 180 client companies and hundreds of job candidates – found that the average chef de partie, or line chef, and pastry chef can expect to earn €30,000 a year, while a junior sous chef makes €35,000.

The average commis chef earns €10.50 per hour in their first year on the job, a €1 increase on 2017′s figure. As their career progresses, they can expect to earn €11 in their second year, €11.50 in their third and a salary of €25,000 by year four.

Waiting staff earn an average of €10 an hour, while bar staff get €12 an hour. Kitchen porters and catering assistants are on €9.80 an hour.

At the top of the career ladder, a senior sous chef earns €42,000 a year. A head chef working in a hotel kitchen takes home €65,000, while an executive hotel chef rakes in between €75,000 and €82,000, excluding bonuses.

Excel Recruitment Excel Recruitment

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As previously reported by Fora, industry officials say Ireland will need 5,000 new chefs every year by 2020 to meet demands – but the shortage of chefs has continued to increase: data compiled for this website by jobs site Indeed showed a 17% increase in advertised chef roles but a 14% decline in interest from jobseekers.

Commenting on the survey results, Excel general manager Shane McLave said the general consensus in the hospitality industry is that “the biggest challenge in 2018 will be to manage the increase in the minimum wage”, which went from €9.25 an hour to €9.55 on 1 January.

“In previous years, employers could allow for an extra 10c or 15c above the minimum wage to create more attractive packages,” he said.

“However this year, with a jump of 30c, this is not possible. We are seeing employers make the decision to raise the hourly pay rate to €10 per hour for entry-level positions.

“This is pushing up all the lower pay scales to a higher level, making it very difficult for businesses in a candidate-driven market.”

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Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute Ned Flanders
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    Sep 18th 2018, 9:48 PM

    Went today. Its great craic and well worth a trip out. The Garda have done a great job with traffic in the area too.

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    Mute Finbarr Lucey
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    Sep 18th 2018, 10:52 PM

    @Ned Flanders: of all the ploughing matches I went to over the years I have to say screggan tullamore is by far the best area to hold the event. So easy to get there and get back from. No delays , very well managed by the Gardai . And very Central for people to travel. Should be held there every year I think.

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Sep 18th 2018, 11:02 PM

    @Finbarr Lucey: couldn’t agree more. Especially after the disaster that was New Ross.

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    Mute Finbarr Lucey
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    Sep 18th 2018, 11:25 PM

    @Bilbo Baggins: and castlemartyr

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    Mute Siobhàn Malone
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    Sep 18th 2018, 9:58 PM

    Should it last for four days to allow for issues like these and accommodate the vast crowds that want to attend…? has the ploughing out-grown 3 days?

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    Mute LITTLEONE
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    Sep 18th 2018, 9:40 PM

    Going on Thursday so hopefully bit better weather.

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    Mute Dáithí O Raghailaigh
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    Sep 18th 2018, 9:41 PM

    that’s the headline for all the papers tomorrow ..

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    Mute Joe L
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    Sep 18th 2018, 10:43 PM

    97,500 there today. Will it ever get to the stage where there are too many people on site?

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    Mute Do the Bort man
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    Sep 19th 2018, 9:31 AM

    @Joe L: there 112,500 attended the first day last year, I was there on that day and yesterday, it’s very busy where the walkways intersect, but overall its ok

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    Mute Seeking Truth
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    Sep 19th 2018, 7:17 AM

    Extending the show to a 4th day is a great idea. The traffic is always terrible so maybe that would ease things up a bit…

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    Mute James O'Brien
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    Sep 18th 2018, 10:18 PM

    Who got knocked out by a fart wind then..

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 19th 2018, 10:11 AM

    @James O’Brien: Feeling a bit thick now are you? Check out also the mounting damage and the death. Fool.

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    Mute DeFonz
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    Sep 19th 2018, 8:22 AM

    Is plough judging so minutely calibrated that they had a concern that the wind might disrupt the pattern of soil on the top of the furrows to such a degree that the readings would be inaccurate?

    have no knowledge of this stuff, merely intrigued by rural matters…

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 19th 2018, 8:44 AM

    @DeFonz: try Google and learn a bit.

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